Charges Stem from Afghan Incident IAFF Chief of Operations Mathew Golsteyn has been charged with premeditated murder in the killing of an Afghan man in 2011 while he was deployed there. Read more about Golsteyn here. The news of the killing isn’t really news. The Times reports that the Army investigated the killing in 2013 […]

Wishing for Incompetence Oh, for the good old days when the misdeeds and blunders of our leaders were policy-related and borne of incompetence. The worst disasters were errant and stupid wars where presidents led us into military quicksand even when the writing was on the wall. Lyndon Johnson didn’t start us on the road to […]

In Harm’s Way In this 17th year of the war in Afghanistan, we Americans express thanks to the troops, the question is for what? Two days ago, at least 55 people were killed and 94 injured in a suicide bombing in the capital, Kabul, during an event “commemorating the birth anniversary of the prophet Muhammad,” […]

IAFF Issues Lukewarm Wildfire Statement   Harold Schaitberger, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, has remained silent as Trump has dismantled middle class America, especially unions and working families. Never forget that Schaitberger caused the IAFF not to endorse in the 2016 presidential election, the sure sign of a coward obsessed with […]

The End of World War One Tomorrow at 11am will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the first world war. Historians remind us that the war was often fought with 19th-century tactics and 20th-century weapons meaning that troops were endlessly slaughtered by automatic machine gun fire or pulverized by long range artillery barrages, […]

So Much for Leading From the Front A favorite piece of American history is the vision of 56-year-old, Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., hobbling Utah Beach with a cane as troops landed on D-Day. He was the oldest man in the invasion and the only general to land by sea on that day. Roosevelt was […]

Jim Lee Set to Retire Canadian Jim Lee, IAFF Chief of Staff, is set to retire in the coming months, having served in that role for the past several years. He was previously the principal assistant to the General Secretary-Treasurer and ran for that position before bowing out at the prospect of Tidal Wave Edzo. […]

Diane Cotter Leads From Without Most IAFF members are under the impression that their union is a fierce and vigorous protector of their safety and health. Have a seat, we have some bad news. Harold Schaitberger’s IAFF long ago gave up its once premier role in protecting us. The date when that happened is certain. […]

We Know Him (Much) Better Than You Do Four current and (very) longtime IAFF members who also come from IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger’s home local, number 2068, managed to be in the same place at the same time for lunch this week. Among the four, they represent 163 years of IAFF and union membership. […]

Many people have a “defining moment” and John McCain’s was when he refused an early repatriation offer while confined as a prisoner during the Vietnam war. He was a prisoner of the North Vietnamese for seven years, enduring torture and deprivation. That refusal, when most would have given in, showed an uncommon commitment to a […]